Here’s the UWS Dish: Eshel’s Lamb Arayes

By Abigael T. Sidi

I’ve always had a thing for Persian food – one of my earliest culinary memories was a lunch at Iranian friends of ours, where I tasted what I’d later learn was tahdig, the country’s addictive scorched rice dish, with its succulent crunchy/buttery layer of golden grains from the bottom of the pan. I’d constantly ask for it at home, and my French parents, to their credit, gave it their best shot (but it was never the same, and often outright disastrous).

Of the many underrepresented cuisines on the Upper West Side, Iranian food is surely at the top of the list. So, when I heard that a Persian restaurant, Eshel, had recently opened in the spot previously occupied by the vegan Blossom (on Columbus, between West 84th and 85th streets), I got excited. Not only that but the restaurant was… glatt kosher and run by a Jewish team. Intrigued, I made my way there for a late Sunday lunch.

I’d already decided on ordering tahdig, so my heart sank when I couldn’t find it on the menu, even in the rice section. As is unfortunately often the case with kosher restaurants, prices were hefty, so I went with the “affordable” lamb arayes ($30, in the appetizers section) along with a side of jeweled rice (more on that later).

Arayes are the Levantine equivalent to sliders, in which the patties are stuffed into open pitas, and then toasted together until the bread becomes slightly charred and crispy. Arayes, which is plural for aroussa (“bride” in Arabic), refers to the way the pita and meat are married together. They are a Middle Eastern street food classic, with likely origins in Lebanon.

Eshel gives you four Arayes per serving, along with two dipping/seasoning sauces – tahini and the spicy, tangy amba, an Iraqi condiment (with former roots in India) made of pickled mangos, turmeric and other spices, which became wildly popular in Israel after the arrival of Iraqi Jewish immigrants.

Because Eshel’s pita is of the thicker kind, the bite was crunchy rather than crispy, offering a forceful, charry and textural contrast to the impeccably cooked, tender lamb patties. The pinch of smoky za’atar seasoning only further showcased the bread’s charry/burnt flavors, while the meat itself was not overly seasoned or spicy, allowing for its characteristic gaminess to shine. Simple, straightforward, with no unnecessary complexity or fuss: Street snack personified.

Things got more interesting was when I started dipping the arayes in the amba. You want flavor, that’s flavor! Sour, fruity, with a good kick of heat, the amba was a delightful enhancer to the arayes, pairing beautifully with the charred pita and gamey lamb. Pop-like and delicious, I could just drink gallons of this potion.

With no tahdig to choose from, I paired my arayes with jeweled rice, in which expertly steamed, airy basmati is mixed with caramelized onions, carrots and sweets including barberries, candied orange peel and golden raisin, and finished with almonds and pistachios. While it was beautiful to look at and the rice was, indeed, perfectly executed, the dish lacked in fragrance somehow, as well as structure, with the ingredients not blending together fully. Or maybe it was just me and my disappointment at not being able to delight in the tahdig I was craving. I hope they add one to the menu — hint, hint!

With the Jewish High Holidays, co-owner Rafael Yaghoubian was understandably too busy for an interview, so I researched what, on the face of it, felt like a surprise given recent history: a Jewish Iranian restaurant. Of course, I’d soon learn of the long story of the Jews in Persia, culminating with Cyrus the Great allowing them to escape Babylonian captivity in 539 BC and return to Jerusalem. One of my grandpas claims to be a descendant of Persian Jews who were involved in the saffron trade. More to dig there, for sure!

While out of my price range, Eshel also offers authentic Iranian stews other customers were raving about, including a dried-lime-and-herb beef stew (ghormeh sabzi, a celebrated national dish, $38) and tomato and split pea stew (khoresh gheimeh, $35). Also available were what looked like succulent beef kabobs whose prices were also of the succulent variety ($40 and up). The steam emanating from those plates was mouthwatering. If you have the funds, this looks like the place in the neighborhood to discover authentic Persian cuisine.

Eshel offers a dim, intimate and cozy space, with traditional and modern Iranian music alternating in the background. While it’s quiet at lunch time, I’ve heard that it can get loud with the evening crowds. The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 12 p.m. til 10 p.m., opens for lunch on Fridays (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.) and then closes for Shabbat (it does not reopen on Saturday night, as do Malka and other neighborhood kosher spots). To order, use Eshel’s commission free platform or call 212-299-4759.

The Dish: Lamb Arayes ($30)
The Restaurant: Eshel, 507 Columbus Avenue (between West 84th and 85th streets)

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